佛土=Buddha-land; 阿彌陀佛=Amitābha=Amitāyus Buddha; 極樂世界=World of Supreme Bliss; 法身土=Land of the Dharma-body; 報身土=Land of the Enjoyment-body; 化身土=Land of the Transformation-body; 念佛=Buddha-meditation; 往生淨土=Rebirth in the pure land
Students of Chinese pure land teaching generally centre their attention on the Pure Land School. As a matter of fact, the Pure Land School is not the only major Chinese Buddhist tradition interested in the subject of pure land. Time and again, we come across detailed discussions on the question of pure land in writings of various Chinese Buddhist traditions, such as the Ti-lun, San-lun, T'ien-t'ai and Hua-yen traditions. This essay examines the pure land thought of Chi-tsang (549-623), a leading San-lun figure. The essay comprises two parts. The first part deals with Chi-tsang's classifications of pure lands into different types, and analyses Chi-tsang's views on a number of doctrinal issues connected with the idea of pure land. The second part discusses Chi-tsang's opinions on several central questions about the Buddha Amitābha and his pure land, and compares them with those held by his contemporaries and by the Pure Land School.
